Liquid vaporizer



June 23, 1953 v. J. LEE 2,642,637

LIQUID VAPORIZER Filed Jan. 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z0 MES LEE LL11 ATTORNEY INVENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V/NCE'N V J LEE LIQUID VAPORIZER June 23, 1953' Flled Jan 17 1951 Patented June 23, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT 2,642,637 LIQUID VAPORIZEH. Vincenzo James Lee, Cleveland, Ohio Application January 17, 195i, Serial No. 206,469

1. This invention relates to Vaporizers and particularly to a vaporizing attachment for vacuum cleaners. 7 w

This invention is a modification. of. the; device disclosed in my co-pending patent application Serial Number 140,819, which was filed January 2'7, 1950, Patent Number 2,605,165, and entitled a vaporizing Attachment for a Vacuum Cleaner.

The principal objects of. this invention are the same as those set forth in my other application but, however, this invention has the additional feature of being more efii'cient'in its operation.

This invention also embodiesa novel large capacity fluid holding device that is self-positioning within the containing structure. This is an improvement over my earlier invention which simply provided for a relatively thin absorption pad of 1imited capacity that required special positioning and retaining means.

These and other objects, as well as a fuller understanding of the invention, may be had by referring to the following description and claim together with the accompanying drawing in which like'parts are designated by'like reference characters and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, oft-he assembled vaporizer without the fluid reservoir;

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 but showing the fluid reservoir'in place;

Figure 3 is a right end view of the same with portions broken away to show the inner structure;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the fluid reservoir with a portion brokenaway;

Figure 5 is a right end View of the same:

Figure 6 is an expanded view of the device; and

Figure 7 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the device mounted on an alternate type of self-contained warm air source.

Now referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein, a vaporizer attachment for a vacuum cleaner comprising a cylindrical hollow housing Ill consisting of a case part I I and a cover part 20 removably attached thereto.

In the preferred-form the base and cover parts are made of molded plastic, either opaque or transparent, although a light weight metal; such as'alu'minum, might also be used. A plasticthat is chemically inert is preferable, since such a material is more easily kept santitary.

The base I I has acontinuous circular'side wall I2 and a circular bottom wall E3. The side Wall I2 has a plurality of spaced parallel slots or apertures I l cut therethroug'h which serve as air vents or outlets.

Four bosses or pegs 95 are spaced equidistant apart at the outer edge of the side wall I2.

The cover 20' has a pair of concentric peripheral 1 Claim. (c1. 21-.--126)- 2' I flanges 22 and 23 extending perpendicularly therefrom, the said flanges being separated by a 1 laterally extending shoulder 24. The inside (ii-'- ameter or" the outer flange 23 being" such that-the flange zs rna'y be telescopically fitted over theop-eh end. of the base II with the outeredgeof the-side wall I2 between the concentric flanges Hand 23 asshcwnihthe Figures 1: and'z.

An inlet aper-tuhe 25 is located in the cover- 20. Anexternally threaded sleeve 26' is formed iii-- tegral with the cover 20 at the aperture 25'.

Reference numeral 21; indicates an adapter to which a conventional vacuum cleaher-hlower'hose can be attached; Various adapters 2T can be interchangeably mounted on the sleeve 26 'at'will to. enable the device to be attached to vacuum cleaner hosesof any --diameter orstyle or directly to the air outlet ofa can-type vacuum cleaner as explained in my liei'eihabove mentioned copendin a plication.

A bacteria and dust filter 29'- composed of" a loosely felted cellulose disk, such as is commonly used: ln tank typevacuum cleaners, is-seat'ed on the edgeof the inner cover flange 22 and over the air inlet aperture 25 as shown in theFigures 1, 2 and 3. The diameter or the filter disk is suchthat its edges justtouch the inner edge of the flange 23, the filter being held in place by a split l'ocli-ihg ring. The ring 21" between the flanges 22 and 23 and is-seated on the should'er 24' on top-of" the peripheral edge of the' fil ter disk 29. 7

Reference numeral 21 indicates L-shapecl' "slots spaced equidistant-around the peripherycr'the cover 20 and adapted to receive'the base pegs I5 in interlocked engagement-when the cover flange 23"15 telescopically fittted over the base H and twisted clockwise. Atthe sahie time, the telescopic' edge of the" base wall I: bears against the filter lackihgring 2a to pres -1t againstthe edge of' the filter 29' which is caught" between. the ring 28 and the shoulder 24 and held securely in place as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The fluid reservoir 30 is intended to. absorb andhold a germicidal liquid such as triethylene glycol. The reservoir is made of a highly absorbent material such' as a: natural or artificial sponge 32. which is contained in a loosely knitted fiber. envelope 31, the sponge being a. type of structure that retains its openporous frame even when holding the maximum. amount. of fluid. The containedfluid does not causeama-tting or collapse of the supporting, structure-even when the. structure, is. fully saturated. Furthermore the area of exposed surface remains constant under all degrees" of saturation. The envelope- 31 is of. a size: to substantially; fill, the housing. Hl when.stuffiediwiththesponge32. The

envelope 3| is roughly square in shape with sufficient thickness to contact the base bottom wall 13 and the filter 29 when stuffed with the sponge 32 and nested within the housing as shown in Figure 2.

The bounding corners 33 rest against the side walls [2 and create a narrow passageway between the straight sides of the reservoir envelope and the side wall I2 so that the air blown into the housing is free to circulate around the reservoir and leave the housing in saturated condition through the apertures M as shownin the Figures 2 and 3. 3

The reservoir just described, will hold ten to twenty times the amount of liquid capable of being held by the vaporizer described in my copending application mentioned hereinbefore.

In operation the device is attached to the blower hose of a vacuum cleaner by means of the adapter 21. The reservoir 30 is saturated with triethylene glycol, or other suitable liquid, and the cover is attached to the base, as described hereinabove, and the vacuum cleaner set in operation. I

Air blown through the inlet 25 passes through the filter disk 29 which removes all bacteria contaminated dust. The filtered air then flows through and around the reservoir 30 causing the triethylene glycol to evaporate. The vapor laden air then passes through the housing vents l4 and out into the room whose atmosphere is being conditioned.

The large surface area afforded by the sponge results in the more rapid evaporation of the liquid than is possible with a simple felted pad. Furthermore, the large size of the reservoir and its direct contact with the dust filter 29 creates sufificient obstruction to the free flow of the air entering through the aperture 25 to cause the heated air to intimately contact the reservoir' surface and pick up the vapors efiiciently and quickly.

The air is heated by the norma1 heating action of the operating vacuum cleaner motor,

since the air sucked in by the conventional vacuum cleaner is usually passed over the motor to cool the motor before entering the bag, or in 7 this case, the blower hose whichtakes the place of the bag.

The following test was made to illustrate the o efficiency of the improved reservoir with its enlarged surface area. i V

The reservoir '30 was weighed before and after being saturated with 10% triethylene glycol. The device was attached to a vacuum cleaner and operated for 100 minutes. The reservoir was weighed at various intervals during the operation of the system and the following are the re Conclusion The above results indicate that 32.2 grams of the liquid was vaporized from the saturat d EQS- ervoir during the first ten minutes of operation and that 52.2 grams of the liquid was vaporized during the first twenty-five minutes of operation.

Using a reservoir saturated with 50% triethylene glycol tests were runto determine the concentration of triethylene glycol liberated by this device after periods of 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes and 50 minutes and also to determine the length of time the triethylene glycol remained in the air after the device had been shut off yielded the following results.

Results Concentration of Triethylene Time of Run Glycol Mg/Ziter.

10 minutes .Q 20 minutes. 30 minutes..

5 0 minutes Concentration of Triethylene Glycol Elapsed Time after Vacuum Cleaner had been turned 03, following 50 minutes run Conclusion The above test indicates that the air in a room containing 1000 cubic feet was effectively germicidal within 20 minutes after the device, with the reservoir containing 50% triethylene glycol, was turned on. The room remained effectively germicidal for 20 minutes after the device had been turned off.

The rapid and efficient vaporization of the tri ethylene glycol evidenced by these tests is primarily due to the envelope type reservoir 38. The large surface area of the contained sponge material, together with the substantially square shape of the envelope provides intimate contact on five sides of the reservoir with the warm air from the .vacuum cleaner.

In contrast the absorbent'pad of my original vaporizer described in the above mentioned application, presented only one surface to the air entering the case. Furthermorethe bulk of the reservoir 30 makes it self-positioning within the hollow housing I0. I

proved device is reliable in operation since it is impossible to accidentally displace the reservoir once it is nested within the housing.

In the Figure '7 is seen an alternate manner of operating the device by means of a self-contained warm air source.

The device illustrated consists of a hollow sheet metal case 50 having inlet louvers 5i in the lower portion thereof. Reference numeral 52 indicates a shallow pan or first reservoir located Within the case just below the louvers 5i and adapted to be filled with triethylene glycol.

A bonnet 53 is located centrally of the top of the case. A resistance wire coil 51 capable of generating heat when energized by an electric Tri-ethylene glycol is poured into the pan 52 and is also made to saturate the fluid reservoir 30 of the vaporizer i0.

, The unit is plugged into an electrical outlet which causes the element 51 to heat and starts the fan 55. The air passing over the heated element 5'! becomes hot and passes up through the stack 54 into the vaporizer 10. The air is filtered and upon hitting the second fluid reservoir 30 vaporizes the tri-ethylene glycol carrying it out into the atmosphere. The heating element 51 also warms the entire interior of the case and vaporize-s the tri-ethylene glycol in the pan 52. This vapor is picked up by the pull of the fan 55 and it too is passed out through the stack 54 and vaporizer unit H3 after having its temperature elevated by passage through the heated bonnet to increase its vapor holding capacity before contacting the second reservoir or sponge 30. By effecting evaporation in two stages, accompanied by a rise in temperature, the eliiciency of the device is greatly increased.

The structure illustrated in the Figure '7 may be used portably without requiring a vacuum cleaner. It has double vaporization power and it is small, economical and convenient to user It will now be clear that there is provided a device which accomplishes the objectives heretofore set forth. While the invention has been disclosed in a preferred and alternate form; it is to be understood that the specific embodiments thereof as described and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limited sense as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A liquid vaporizer, comprising in combination, a hollow case member having air inlet louvers proximate the lower portion thereof and a bonnet in the upper portion thereof including an air vent stack, a first reservoir for a volatile liquid located within the case member having its upper edge proximate the said inlet louvers, heating means located in the case member within the said bonnet, a fan mounted within the case member between the inlet louvers and the bonnet whereby airis drawn through the louvers and into th case over the first reservoir and blown out of the case through the bonnet and stack upon operation of the said fan, and a hollow housing mounted on'the said stack, the said housing comprising a cover part and a complementary base part, the said cover part having an inlet aperture adapted to engage the upper end of said stack and receive warm air therefrom, the said base part having a, plurality of outlet apertures in the wall thereof and a second reservoir for a volatile liquid, comprising a sponge, nested within the said hollow housing and substantially filling the same, the heating mean operating to elevate the temperature of the air after it has passed over the first reservoir, to increase its vapor holding capacity before passage into the housing containing the second reservoir.

VINCENZO JAMES LEE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,810,613 Keller June 16, 1931 1,842,900 Ell Jan. 26, 1932 1,863,883 Schneider June '21, 1932 2,335,056 Grison Nov. 23, 1943 

